The Road not Taken

"The National Citizen’s coalition has a letter to the Editor in today’s Globe and Mail claiming I’m a liberal shill. I’m not a Liberal, I’m just lazy and the Tories make it so dammed easy. Maybe if they would just stop dousing themselves with gas and waving matches around for five minutes I could focus on corruption and greed in the Liberal Party." - Rick Mercer

Peter McKay's reference to the passing of the budget (supported by the majority of Canadians) "diabolical" is yet another powerful example of the total incoherence and tactical ineptitude of the Conservative party. They bet on an election, they lost, and now they cannot stop crying "it's not fair" in public. Grow up. Move on. At least stop setting yourselves on fire.

Scrolling back through the archives, I came across a post in early April where I began persuading myself that just maybe Harper could make the leap into the Prime Minister's Chair. Seems such ancient history now, especially after the CPC bungled everything since the polls showed them in the lead and they barrelled down that road of no return.

Harper should have listened to his own advice, as I expected him to do back in April:

Harper knows he probably has only this one shot and he's still confindently biding his time: "It is not my intention and it is not my party's intention to provoke an election simply on our own timetable or because of our own interests," Harper said. "We have to be sure the public understands this (sponsorship information) and the public is demanding this election."

Wonder where we'd be if he'd kept everything in check... Is he absolutely lost now? I'd say it sure looks that way as this session folds. BUT. 6 months is still a long time. Coyne's analysis may yet be proven right, either by Harper or the next CPC leader:

The Grits may have repelled your last assault, and are now reaping the rewards in the polls (everybody loves a winner). But they have done so at the cost of immense long-term damage to their reputation, and especially that of their leader. Over time, that will tell.